Annual Review 2023: Building a More Trusted, Sustainable and Inclusive Future for UK Advertising

Stephen Woodford, Chief Executive, Advertising Association

The first year of our new three-year strategy, covering 2023-25, has been about making progress once again on how we promote responsible advertising and its value to the UK’s economy and society. The strategy, which focuses on public trust, inclusivity, and sustainability, has strong backing as its top three priorities from our Council members, who reflect the breadth of our industry. It has also led to the formation of two new industry task forces: the first addressing the talent shortage and the second exploring the impact
of Artificial Intelligence on our industry.

We have also doubled down on our efforts across our existing workstreams. A second All In Census, conducted in March, in partnership with ISBA and the IPA, generated a fantastic dataset from nearly 19,000 advertising and marketing professionals, providing invaluable insights into industry trends and employee well-being. Ad Net Zero has expanded its reach into new territories, with the launch of Ad Net Zero USA in February and in New Zealand in August. We ran our biggest trade mission yet to Cannes Lions, and new research on public trust in advertising was released in September. Additionally, record-breaking UK advertising exports were announced, totalling £15.6 billion, and media literacy initiatives through Media Smart were strengthened.

2024 will be a record-breaking year for elections, with more people voting around the world than ever before, so we are ramping up engagement with policy makers. Our Public Affairs team has been renamed Policy and Government Affairs to reflect the increased focus on outreach to Parliamentarians, civil servants and regulators. There will be a new UK Government in the next 12 months or so and we will be engaging with all the parties pre- and post-election, to make the voice of the advertising industry heard and promote its role in the sustainable growth the UK economy so desperately needs.

Our commitment to being together, as a team and with our many members, will take a new shape in 2024, when we move to a long-term base in Aldwych, after a short-term stay in Berners Street. We are very much looking forward to welcoming our members to our new home and we are delighted to already be seeing more people in person, as the world returns to more familiar ways of working.

Looking ahead, we will continue to prioritise key areas such as making the economic case for advertising to be viewed as an investment, not a cost. Also key will be our ongoing work to rebuild public trust in advertising, address the talent shortage, foster a more inclusive workplace, advance climate action initiatives, support the UK’s transition to net zero, promote employment opportunities, and fulfil our responsibilities to individuals, society, businesses,
and the economy.

We are determined, as ever, to work collectively to strengthen and promote our industry, staying true to the principles of our founders nearly a century ago. When this three-year strategy is complete, we will enter our centenary year – our team is committed to delivering the critical work to shape a sustainable and responsible long-term future for the UK’s advertising industry and everyone that works in it.

Click here to download a copy of our full 2023 Annual Review.